Hitch mechanism



Dec 13, 1949 i c. w. GOFF 2,491,373

HITCH MECHANISM Filed NOV. 15, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 25 i I 8 [4 g 8 INVENTOR.

CLARENCE w. GOFF BY FIG. 7

ATTORNEY C. W. GOFF HITCH MECHANISM Dec. '13, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 15, 1947 GLARENCE w. GOFF BY 2 FIG. 6

FIG. 3'

FIG. 5

A TTOR/VEY Patented Dec. 13, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENTOF FlC E Clarence W. Goff Washington, Iowa Application November 15, 1947, Serial 786,279

, 1 My present invention making easy the connection and disconnection of a tractor unit with a drawn unit and is an improvement upon the structure disclosed in my prior application, Serial No. 630,824, filed November 26, 19 15, now Patent 2,458,848, dated January 11, 1949. It is in part a continuation of that application, with a disclosure of the new matter added thereto.

This invention comprises amongits objects the provisionv of a hitch mechanism such that a tractor equipped therewith may be backed up to a unit to which it is to be connected and easily and automatically connected thereto with the least trouble on the part of the operator; the provision of a structure for the purpose indicated which is so constructed that the driver of the tractor. unit may, merely by pulling on 'a cord or chain, unlatch the hitch unit from the drawn unit with'the least delay possible; the'p'rovision of latching means for preventing inadvertent disconnection of the tractor unit from the drawn unit; and such further objects, advantages, and capabilities as will hereafter appear and as are inherent in the construction disclosed herein. My invention further resides in the combination, construction, and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings and, while I have shown therein what is now regarded as the preferred embodiment of this invention and a modification thereof, I desire the same to be understood as illustrative only and not to be interpreted in a limiting sense.

In the drawings annexed hereto and forming a part hereof,

Fig. 1 represents a perspective view of one form of my construction with the jaws closed;

Fig. 2 represents a perspective view of the structure shown in Fig. 1 with the jaws open;

Fig. 3 represents an inverted plan view, taken in the opposite direction from Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 represents a longitudinal section taken substantially along the plane indicated by the line 4-4, Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 represents a fragmentary horizontal section of the rear portion of this device with the laws in closed position;

Fig. 6 represents a view similar to that of Fig. 5 with the jaws in open position; i

Fig. '7 represents a horizontal section of a modifled form of this construction with the jaws in closed position; and

Fig. 8 represents a similar section of the structure shown in Fig. 7 with the jaws in open position.

1 Claim. (Cl. 280-3315) relates to mechanism for Reference will now be made in greater detail to the annexed drawings for a more complete description of this invention. Specifically, this construction comprises a pair of body members I and 2 bent toward each other as shown at 3, the parts being held in assembled relation bybeing welded. together where'they contact, as at 4. A pair of jaws 5 and 6 are pivotally mounted between the body members I and 2 on pivot members I and 8, shown as rivets. A latch membert is pivotally connected at its lower end by a pivot member ID to a pair of connected lugs ll projecting downwardly from the bottom of the body member I. This latch member is spring-actuated by a spring i2 which forces; it into the space l3 between the rear ends of the jaws 5 and 6 when these jaws are closed. At one end, the spring l2 bears against the members I and 2 in the region where they come together and, at its opposite end, against the latch member 9. The spring, being under compression, forces the latch member 9 between the rear ends it of the jaws 5 and 6, when the jaws are closed, to hold them in closed posiion. The forward end portions of the jaws are provided with notches l5 which, when the jaws are closed, constitute the hitch pin hole IS.

The upper end of the latch member 9 is provided with an opening IT for the attachment of a cord, cable, chain, or the like, whereby the latch may be turned to unlatching position when it is desired to unhitch the tractor unit from the drawn unit. The latch member 9 passes through an opening in the cover plate l8 which slides on top of the body member 2 and covers up the opening l9 therein. The rear end portion of the body members I and 2 is provided with an opening 20 for the reception of the hitch pin 24 of the traction unit, thus providing for the connection of this hitch mechanism to the tractor. The jaws 5 and 6 are provided on their adjacent edges with fingers 2|, 22, and 23 which form interengaging members to cause the jaws to work in unison. Also, the fingers 2i and 22 are engaged by the hitch pin of the drawn unit when the hitch mechanism is backed intoa position to cause hitching. When these fingers 2| and. 22 engage the hitch pin, they are pushed forwardly thereby, resulting in the jaws 5 and 6 being closed, which permits the latch member 9 to enter between the ends I4 of the jaws 5 and 6, as shown in Fig. 5, thus latching these jaws against being opened by a forward pull of the traction unit.

In the structure shown in Figs. '7 and 8, the

. jaws 5a and 6a differ somewhat in form from the Also, the fingers Zia, 22a, and 23a, corresponding to fingers 2|, 22, and 23, are shaped somewhat difierently from the corresponding fingers but function in the same way and produce the same result.

In the structure shown in the various figures, the plates l and 2 and the jaws 5, 6, 5a, 6a are shown as provided with openings 25 for the reception of a pin or bolt 26 which is dropped into place when the jaws; are. closedas shown in Figs. 1, 5, and This pin may be" provided with any type of head but I have chosen to illustrate it as being provided with an eye 21.

It has been found that, in traveling oven noughground or railroad tracks, the latch member 9 may be inadvertently withdrawn from its p'o'sition between the rear ends of; the: jaws as shown in Figs. 1, 5, and '7, thus permitting the drawn machine to become detached from the traction unit. Also, when a cord or chain is connected to the eye- H- of thelatch 9, this'may be inadvertently'moved by afootor otherwise-, thus-causing diseonnection; However, if apin or bolt 26 is dropped into openings 25, I it a is substantially impossible, to; have, inadvertent disconnection take place.

It'will of coursebeunderstood that the specific description of. structure, set forth above; maybe departed from without departing from the spirit of this. inventionras disclosed herein. and defined in the appended claim-L Having now described my-invention I" claim:

In: a hitchimechanism', a supporting body havingspaced upper-and: lower body members and a 7 pain of laterally separated: pivots; connecting the body members, a pair: of jaws mounted; on said pivots and. extending forwardly and rearwardly therefrom, said jaws being. adapted; to be. opened and closedzand, when closed; engaging: each other with; aiholeztbetween. them"v opening; upwardly and downwardly only for the reception of a hitch pin, the rearwardly extending parts of the jaws, when the jaws are closed, being notched to form a latch-receiving opening adapted to receive a latching member, a pivoted latching member carried by the lower body member and adapted to swing into and out of the space between the rearwardly extending parts of the jaws when they are closed and, when swung into osition between the jaws, servingitofhold thejaws' closed the: latching member being a' lever pivotally suspended from the lower face of the lower body member and spring-urged into latching position between the rearwardly extending parts of the jaws, said body members being slotted to allow the latching member to swi'fi'g' aibout its pivot into and out of latching. position,.the,body members being bent, rearwardly from the jaws, into contact, and one of them, adjacent the region of contact, having a finger extending toward the jaws, between the body: members said finger being. surroundedby a spring which extends towardv the latching member and engages samev with a. force tending to force the latching member intov the latch-receiviing. opening whereby to hold thejawsclosed and a jaw-holding member; extending-through oneof the? jaws and atleast one of the body members.

CLARENGE" GOFF- REFERENCES CITED.

The: following references are of record in the file of this patent:-

UNITED STATES;- Iii-NIFENTIPSv Number Name" Date 844,522" Johnson Feb; 19, 1907 1,240,818 Buller Sept; 25; 191 .7 1,379,133 Speece May 1921 1,576,303 Anderson Mar; 16, 1926 

